Holder



Q Dec. 7, 1948. J. E. DONALDSON 2,455,857

HOLDER Filed Nov. 13, 1945 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1943- J. DONALDSON 2,

HOLDER Filed Nov. 15, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lowing specification and shown in Patented Dec. 7, 1948 HOLD R James E. Donaldson, Columbus, Ohio Application November 13, 1945, Serial No. 627,977

I This invention relates to a holder; more specifie cally to a supporting device for suspending small articles of clothing.

; After laundering small articles of clothing such ashosiery, etc. it is very desirable to have a readily accessible hanger bracket, or supporting device, from which the articles may be suspended for drying. Since such a supporting device is, of expediency, usually placed in one of the more accessible rooms of a home, it is extremely desirable that it serve as a wall ornament when it is not in use.

. ,Animportant object of this invention is to provide a readily accessible supporting device from whlch articles of clothing may be suspended after 7 laundering.

Another important object is to provide a supporting device for freshly laundered articles, which can be placed in a non-use position, and

which in said position, will have an ornamental I effect. I, I Another important object is to provide a supporting device for articles, which device can, be latched in a non-use position, in which it occupies but little space. I Furthervobjects of this inventionwill become apparentfrom the disclosure described in the fol the accompanying drawings in which:

. Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of my improved supporting device positioned against a wallin a non-use position;

- Fig. .2 is a sectional view 2-2 of Fig l Fig. 3 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 2, showing a supporting device in a position where it may be used to support articles of clothing or the like; Fig. 4 is a detail viewin perspective of the outer convex surface of a portion of the supporting device; I Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective of the inner concavesurface of the same portion of said supporting device; and

Fig. 6 is a detail view in perspective of a bracket member of said device.

taken along the line A supporting device, generally indicated by the numeral I0, is positioned'againsta flat surface such as a wall H, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The supporting device In consists of a fan shaped member I2, having an inner concave surface I3, and an outerconvex surface fan shaped member 12 are a plurality of arcuate finger portions l5 having rounded tips or end portions l6, said finger portions [5 having separations between them in the form of slots IS. A pair of g 12 Claims. (Cl. 211 89) I4. Formed in said spaced members 11 and member i2 is such I8 are formed in the bottom of said fan shaped member l2 and extend downwardly. A pair of bores l9 and 20 are positioned in opposite relationship within said spaced members H and i8, respectively. A boss 2|, having an opening 22, is connected to one of the finger portion-s I5 within the concave surface I3.

As best shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 6, a bracket member 23 is connected to the wall H, by fasteners, such as screws 24. The bracket member 23 consists of a fiat vertical portion 25 having a protruding portion 26 at the top thereof. The protruding portion 26 has an opening 21 through which is connected one end of a flexible sustainin element, such as a chain or cord 28. The other end of the flexible element 28 is fastened to the boss 2|. The lower end of the bracket member 23 is formed with a cupped portion 29, and con- .tains bores 30 and 3| spaced in opposite relationship to each other.

The lower end of the bracket member 23 is p0- sitioned between the spaced members I! and H! (see Fig. l). Hinge pins 32, 32 are positioned within the bores 19, 20, 30, and3l to permit hinged movement of said fan shaped member [2 with respect to said bracket member 23.

When not in use the fan shaped member I2 is positioned vertically against the wall II as best shown in Fig. 2. In ,this' position the bracket member 2315 substantially enclosed and the boss .2l frictionally engages the protruding portion 26 of the bracket 23, thus securing said fan shaped member 12 in the vertical non-use position.

For suspending articles of clothing, such as a stocking, etc., indicated by the numeral 33 in Fig. 3, the fan shaped member i2 is rotated upon the hinge pins32, until it is in a horizontal position substantially at a right angle tosaid bracket member 23. One of the finger portions l5, preferably the one centrally located in the fan shaped member l2, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is provided at its end with a lip portion 34. This lip portion 34 permits the user to easily grip the fan shaped member, for rotating it into the use position. The cupped portion 29 and the cord 28 retain thefan sh-apedmember I2 in this use position. The ends of the fingers l5 are rounded so as to preclude damaging of the articles to be suspended between the slots Hi. The unique shape of the fan shaped as to fit snug against the Wall i l therebykeeping the supporting device I0 out of the way in its non-use position, and substantially enclosing said bracket portion 23 so as to expose a minimum amount of surface where dust may be collected. .1

plurality of arcuate finger portions formed in' said fan shaped member, said finger portions having rounded ends; a plurality of spaced members connected to the bottom portion of: said-fan shaped member; a boss upon said inner concave surface of said fan shaped member; a bracket member adapted to be enclosed within said c'oncave surface of said fan shaped member, said bracket member having a bottom portion positioned between said spaced members; fastening means for connecting said bracket member to a substantially flat surface; a protruding member connected to the top portion. of said bracket member and positioned to friotionally engage or said boss to retain said fan shaped member in the non-use position; and means hingedly connecting said bracket member and said fan shaped member for permitting movement of said fan shaped member from a substantially vertical non-use. position to a'substantially horizontal use position.

2. A supporting device comprising a fan shaped memberhavin'g an inner concave surface and an outer convex surface, a plurality of arcuate finger portions formed in said fan shaped member, a plurality of spaced. members connected to the bottom of said fan shaped member, a boss mounted on said inner concave surface, a bracket member adapted to be enclosed within said inner concave surface, fastening means for connecting said bracket member to a substantially flat surface, a protruding member connected to the top portion of said bracket member, means hingedly connecting said bracket member to said spaced members, and a flexible element connected to said boss and said protruding member for limiting the hinged movement of said fan shaped member with respect to said bracket member.

3'. A supporting device adapted to be positioned in a use and a non-use position comprising afan shaped member having an inner concave surface and an outer convex surface, finger portions formed in said fan shaped member, a plurality of spaced members connected to said fanshaped member, a boss upon said fan shaped member, a bracket member having fastening means for mounting said bracket member, a protruding member connected to the top portion of said bracket member, means for hingedly connecting said bracket member to said spaced n'rembe'rs, and means "for retaining said fan shaped member in a horizontal use position; said boss and said protruding member being" po'sition'ed to cooperate to frictionally retain said fan shaped member in a vertical non-use position.

4-. A supporting device having in combination a shell shaped member provided with a concave surface and a convex surface, a plurality of fingers formed between said surfaces, dependent members connected to said fan shaped member, a boss connected to at least one of said finger portions, a bracket adapted to be enclosed within said fan shaped member, means for hingedly.

connecting said bracket to said dependent mem- 4 bers, means for vertically supporting said bracket, a cupped portion connected to said bracket and adapted to retain said fan shaped member substantially perpendicular to said bracket, and

a protruding member on said bracket positioned to frictionally engage said boss and thereby retain said fan shaped member in vertical position.

5. A supporting device comprising a member having the shape of a concavo convex seashell, a plurality of finger portions formed in said seashell shaped member, dependent members connected to said seashell shaped member, a boss connected to said seashell shaped member, a bracket smaller than said seashell shaped member, means for hingedly connecting said bracket surface and a convexsurface, a plurality of slots formed in said fan shaped member, a boss connected to said fan shaped member, a wall bracket, means for hingedly connecting said fan shaped member to said bracket, means for holding said fan shaped. member substantially at a right angle to said bracket, and a latch' connect'ed to said bracket for frictionally engaging said boss to retain said fan shaped member adjacent said bracket, whereby said concave surface will-substantially enclose said bracket.

"7. A supporting device having in combination, a fan shaped member provided with a concave surface and a convex surface, said fa-n shaped member provided with slots forming fingers and being movable into a horizontal use position and avertical non-use position, a bracket pivotally connected with said fan shaped member, means for fixing'sai'd bracket in vertical position, means associated with said bracket for holdingsaid fan shaped member in the horizontal position, and latch means forholding said fan shaped member in the non-use position wherein said concave'surface substantially encloses said bracket.

8. A supporting device adapted to bepositioned in a horizontal use and a vertical non-use pos-i tion, comprising a fan shaped-member having an inner concave surface and an outer convexsurface, a plurality of arcu'ate finger portions formed in said fan shaped member, a lipportion on one of said finger portions extending outwardly of said convex surface, a plurality of spaced members. connected to the bottom portion of said fan shaped member; a boss on said inner concave surface ofsaid' fan shaped member, abracket adapted to be" enclosed within said' concave surface of said fan shaped member with the lower portion of said bracket positioned between said spaced members, fastening means for-connecting said bracket to a wall, a protruding member'upon the top" portion of said bracket positioned to frictionally engage said boss and thereby retain said fan shaped member in the non-use position, and means hingedly joining said bracket and said fan shaped member. I

9. A garment supporting device having in combination a, fan 'shapedme'mber providedwith a concave surface and a convex surface, a plurality of finger portions formed in said fan shaped member, a lip portion formed at the end of one of said. finger portions for manually gripping said fan shaped member, dependent members connected to said fan shaped member, a boss connected to said fan shaped member, a bracket smaller than said fan shaped member, means hingedly connecting said bracket to said dependent members, means for retaining said fan shaped member perpendicular to said bracket member, and means on said bracket for engaging said boss to retain said fan shaped member in vertical position, whereby said concave surface will substantially enclose said bracket.

10. A supporting device comprising a plurality of curved fingers arranged side by side to form a concavo-convex shell, means flexibly maintaining said fingers in said shell-like configuration, a wall bracket for said shell, a, shaped projection on said bracket for receiving and supporting said means, means hingedly connecting said shell to said bracket, a supporting cord connected to said shell and said bracket for supporting the shell in horizontal position, and cooperating friction-lock means on said shell and on said bracket for maintaining said shell folded against said bracket.

11. A holder comprising a firm resilient unitary member having radiating, extending and gradually widening parts separated by narrow slots radiating from a common center, articles being insertable into the slots, and. the member provided with means for mounting it against a wall.

12. A holder of the class described, comprising a unitary dished plate of resilient material having narrow slots separating yielding fingers Wider at the outer ends and radiating from a common center, the dished side of the plate being uppermost to provide an open receptacle through which the slots extend, and the member provided with means for mounting it against a Wall.

JAMES E. DONALDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 387,922 Schooley Aug. 14, 1838 1,315,823 Dugan Sept. 9, 1919 1,416,758 Silver-man May 23, 1922 1,757,981 Stephenson May 13, 1930 1,968,399

James July 31, 1934 

